Friday, October 22, 2010

How Rick Scott's Base Is Soft

Rick Scott has put another $3.57 million into his campaign. He has now spent more than $60 mil of his own cash.

Scott narrowly beat primary opponent Bill McCollum and some polls have Alex Sink in the lead. The message is Scott is a horrible candidate. Scott is terried of the media and talks in robot talking points. Scott can not talk about Florida policy issues because he never bothered to study up. That is why Scott has had a cash advantage and hasn't been able to build a big lead against Sink.

Sink has trampled over Scott in terms of fundraising. That says Scott's support is is soft and people do not like to donate their money to a rich guy. Sink is not poor, but she hasn't thrown vast sums of her own money into her campaign. Scott creates the impression he doesn't need to raise money. Win or lose, Scott has blown $60 million of his own money.

Polls here, here, and here as a toss-up. It would help if Sen. Bill Nelson didn't play pollster and say sink will "win by seven points or more." That tells voters that either Sink has an easy road to victory and Democrats can stay home. Another problem is Nelson's statement makes the Democratic establishment sound detached from reality. (Remember Republicans saying there was no insurgency in Iraq.) Democratic voters need to know Marco Rubio's Tea Party stardom is going to turn out Republicans. Democrats need to go to the polls and vote. The Democratic establishment needs to stop stressing there is no problem and play up their underdog role to increase voter turnout.